ML13317B027

Negative Declaration Granting Exemption from Section Iii.J of App R to 10CFR50 Re Installation of battery-powered Emergency Lighting Inside Containment

ML13317B027
Person / Time
Site:	San Onofre
Issue date:	03/05/1982
From:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Shared Package
ML13317B025	List: ML13317B024 ML13317B027
References
TAC-48143, NUDOCS 8203120327
Download: ML13317B027 (3)

Text

0 7590-01

.UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of

)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY AND SAN DIEGO GAS AND ELECTRIC

)

Docket No. 50-206 COMPANY San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Unit 1

)

EXEMPTION I.

The Southern California Edison Company (the licensee) is.

a holder of Provisional Operating License No. DPR-13 which authorizes operation of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Unit 1 (the facility).

The license provides, among other things, that the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Unit 1 (San Onofre 1) is subject to all rules, regulations and orders of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) now or hereafter in effect.

The facility is a pressurized water reactor located in San Diego County, California.

II.

Section III.J of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 requires that emergency lighting units with at least an eight hour battery power supply be provided in all areas needed for operation of safe shutdown equipment and in access and egress routes thereto.

By application dated December 22, 1981, the licensee requested an exemption from the requirements for installation of battery-powered emergency lighting inside containment at San Onofre Unit 1.

8203120327 820305 PDR ADOCK 05000206

-PJDR

-2 The licensee's December 22, 1981 submittal states that present emergency shutdown procedures for certain worst case fires outside of the containment would require shutdown operations to be performed inside the containment 8-10 hours after the initiation of the fire.

These operations involve the initiation of the Residual Heat Removal (RHR)-System. The licensee is considering other shutdown approaches which would eliminate the need for the operator to enter the containment. The licensee is concerned that: -(1) the corrosive electrolyte is subject to introduction into the containment atmosphere on rupture of the battery, (2) radiation degradation of the battery enclosure may lead to leakage of the electrolytes, (3) the battery may explode when exposed to. loss of-coolant or steam-line break environments., and (4 } the hydrogen emitted during charging has not been accounted for in previous safety evaluations.

Based on our review of the licensee's submittal, the staff has concluded that fire damage of concern which occurs outside the containment, should not damage lighting circuits inside the'containment, so that simple repair procedures should be sufficient to restore power to such lighting circuits in the 8-10 hours time available. In addition, Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 allows up to 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> to make repairs needed and attain cold shutdown so that should a fire occur inside containment that damages the lighting circuits, the licensee has ample time to repair lighting circuits or install portable lighting.

Any emergency battery-powered lighting that might be installed inside containment prior to the fire would probably be exhausted in the 8-10 hours needed to reach primary system conditions where operation of equipment necessary to reach cold shutdown could be initiated; therefore, portable lighting would have to be installed.

-3 Based on our evaluation, we conclude that the installation of battery-powered lighting within the containment will not significantly enhance the level of post-fire shutdown capability and its omission will not endanger the health and safety of the public. Accordingly, we conclude that the licensee's request to be exempted from Section III.J of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50, to the extent that it requires the installation of battery-powered emergency lighting within the containment, should be granted.

III.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined thaat, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, an exemption is authorized.by law and.will -.

nt. endanger life or property or the common defense and security, is otherwise in the public interest, and is hereby granted.

The Commission has determined that the granting of this exemption will not result in any significant environmental impact and that pursuant to 10 CFR 51.5(d)(4) an environmental impact statement or negative declaration and environmental impact appraisal need not be prepared in connection with this action.

This exemption is effective upon issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 5th day of March, 1982.